Well that couldn’t have gone much better from every aspect.
Yesterdays admin-
Title Defence Countdown:
8 wins down/ 19 to go.
26 points down/ 63 to go.
Current PL unbeaten run:
P 4 W 2 D 2 F 8 A 4 CS: 2
1 Straight Win/ 1 Straight CS.
Current unbeaten home PL run:
P 2 W 1 D 1 F 3 A 1 CS: 1
1 Straight Win/ 1 Straight CS.
A really good game of togger that between two really good sides. Where, if the score had ended 5-2/ 5-3 or similar in L’pool’s favour, nobody would have complained and everyone would have gone home happy at the entertainment on display. L’pool have been improving game-on-game through the current unbeaten run. By no means perfect. But with many positives to take from each game. With little milestones broken they weren’t doing before and incremental steps forward each time as they slowly come out of the natural malaise they’ve been in and start to heal and believe in themselves and one another once more. And yesterday was no exception with both back-to-back wins, and back-to-back clean sheets, for only the third time this season. And the first since the start of November. A really solid, disciplined performance where they had a plan and stuck to it. Whilst playing, along with Brighton who deserve there props and who certainly deserved at least one goal for their efforts, some super football.
Let’s get the sideshow out of the way first …..
I thought after Arne’s mastery of leadership and man management this past week, after a situation nobody wanted but the self-serving interests of Mo brought around and dragged the whole club down with; we showed equal restraint and humble professionalism as a crowd. The overriding feeling in the boozer from regulars before the game was nobody was happy he was in the squad without so much as an apology. (Which we still, disgracefully, haven’t got.). But as he was, it just was what it was and although it didn’t feel right to sing his name and effectively condone him throwing us
ALL under the bus, he’s still playing in Red, so it would be totally wrong and go against our whole ethos to have another ugly Trent situation and all that cringe disgrace for a time the end of last season. And it went as well as could have been expected. Many stayed silent when he came on. But applauded him through his time on the pitch as it would be detrimental to the team not to. Whilst not singing his name the few times his song tried to start up. Those that wanted to sing it, did without any rebuke from anyone. A very mixed, but very humble and respectful response to a horrible, self created situation Mo has brought on everyone.
For the record, I was with what seemed the majority, certainly all around us in 106, in not singing his name as I can’t condone me-first player power and undermining
EVERYONE publicly. But I did applaud and encourage him through his 60 odd minutes. And stayed back the end to applaud him off in what I still personally think will be the last time we see him at Anfield.
I’m just relieved we can forget that sideshow now for a while whilst he’s at the AFCON and concentrate on the team moving back up the league.
The other perfect thing from us was each time the Mo song tried to get going from the back the Kop, it was followed by booming versions of both Arne’s songs. And the new ‘
CHAMPI ARNE’ banner from the Spion Kop 1906 lads was brilliant pre-game in doubling down on just how much we love and believe in our manager who brought home #20 at the first attempt. And the brilliant way he’s conducted himself and lead the club through yet another trying period this past week in this embryonic season.
Of the many standouts on the pitch, I thought both FB’s were excellent. Joe was having a belter game before he went off. Hopefully it’s just a minor strain as he deserves far better injury luck. But at least Bradley and Frimpong are back to ease issues there. And Kerkez, who has been growing and improving by the game over the last month or so the more comfortable he gets, had probably his best game for the club yet. Totally, bar the one time Minteh got past him late first-half, bottling up one of the best and most inform, direct wingers the league. Wirtz just gets better and better with each passing game. His heat maps must be mad as he is EVERYWHERE across the park. No more influential player than him in this side. Ekitike continues to wow you with his Henry-Esq elegance and ridiculous burst of speed from a standing position that leaves everyone behind. With another great brace to boot. Super cameo, yet again, from Chiesa. If he had to patiently wait again until the last 8 to get his chance. (Who has been hard done to again here Mo?). Hopefully his chances of far more minutes improve over the next 3 or 4 weeks. And Curtis was yet again MOTM with another superbly dominant, controlling display across at least three different positions he was tasked with through the flow of the game.
Just a really solid, disciplined display to double down on similar Tuesday to round out a very good week on the pitch against a very, very good football side who always work as hard as anyone we play in Brighton.
Nicely building unbeaten run this as we bounce into Christmas in top spirits. When Anfield is constantly ringing with ‘
Oh come, all ye faithful …..’, and ‘
Merry Christmas, Everton!’, you know we are in a real good feel good place with our team at this special time of the year.
Seagulls wings clipped.

Now hopefully the Eagles fly high and put City in their place today!

Thoughts and prayers with our greatest ever striker too. God speed Rushie lad. Sounds like you’ve really gone through it the last few days.
Up the mighty Reds!